DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY CURRICULA AT NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYSIA (NDUM)

INTRODUCTION

  1. NDUM was established on 10 November 2006, upgraded from the Armed Forces Academy (AFA) co – located at Sungai Besi Military Camp. The new set up University is aimed to produce prominent intellectual leaders of character, committed towards selfless service to the nation in furtherance of securing and maintaining the national strategic interest. The presence of a defense university is vital for a country like Malaysia, a nation that is on the way to be a developed sovereignty within the next thirteen years (2020).
  1. The previous Military Academy had produced a total of 1100 graduates in the field of Engineering, Sciences and Management. The graduates had been commissioned into the three services namely: Royal Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy and Royal Malaysian Air Force.
  1. NDUM still continue to trained cadets for the three military services and at the same time open its university programs for non cadet (civilian) students. There are ten academic programs conducted by the three available faculties, namely Defense Engineering, Defense Science and Defense Management. The cadets will undergo basic military training while the non cadets will undergo reservist military training. In short, NDUM is a military campus where leadership training for both cadets and non cadets is of a paramount focus.
  1. With the new posture in place, the military training curricula of the previous Academy is reviewed to fulfill the current needs at NDUM.

AIM

  1. The aim is to illustrate the outline of military training curricula at NDUM.

MILITARY TRAINING CURRICULA

  1. The military training profile through out the academic duration at NDUM is divided into three (3) phases as follows
  1. Initial Induction training phase for new students ( six weeks training)
  1. Common/basic military training spread out through the academic programs.
  1. Single service training (to fulfill Army, Navy and Air Force peculiar training needs) conducted during end of the year vacation each year at the respective service colleges.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INDUCTION PHASES

  1. The main objective of the induction phase is to convert the new student/civilian profiles into discipline military profiles. The curriculum emphasize on physical training postures like, physical training, drill, motivational / camp exercises, introduction to leadership and basic military tradition and culture.
  1. The six weeks induction training duration covers mainly practical activities in and out of NDUM campus.

OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMON/BASIC TRAINING PHASE

  1. The objective is to produce military commissioned officers that has strong leadership profile character and has basic military knowledge essential to serve in the Armed Forces upon graduation.
  1. The curriculum is spread over the academic programs where the students need to do five hours of military training a week.
  1. The hours spend on military training during the academic program is approximately 35% of the total education and training time at NDUM. The detail is shown below:

Ser / Academic Year / Theory
(Hours) / Practical & Exercises
(Hours) / Total
(Hours)
a. / First / 101 / 400 / 501
b. / Second / 82 / 429 / 511
c. / Third / 81 / 388 / 469
d. / Fourth / 155 / 178 / 333
Total / 419 / 1395 / 1814

OBJECTIVE OF SINGLE SERVICE TRAINING

  1. The main objective of this phase is to introduce all training peculiar to each service. The training is conducted at the end of first, second and third year, totaling three times while at NDUM. At each year, the duration is eight (8) weeks of full time training and the total duration for this phase of training is 24 weeks.
  1. The curriculum differs among the three services and the training is conducted at the various service training colleges for the Army, Navy and Air Force. This means that the cadets shall be attached to the respective service college at the end of each academic year. The non cadets shall undergo their reservist training at the end of their year.

YEAR / SEMESTER ONE / SEMESTER TWO / End of Year Vacation
FOUNDATION
(Induction training(6 weeks before academic commences) / ACADEMIC / B / ACADEMIC
Five hours of basic training a week / Five hours of basic training a week
FIRST / ACADEMIC / R / ACADEMIC / Single service training – 8 weeks
Five hours of basic training a week / Five hours of basic training a week
SECOND / ACADEMIC / E / ACADEMIC / Single service training – 8 weeks
Five hours of basic training a week / Five hours of basic training a week
THIRD / ACADEMIC / A / ACADEMIC / Single service training – 8 weeks
Five hours of basic training a week / Five hours of basic training a week
FOURTH / ACADEMIC / K / ACADEMIC / Graduation
Five hours of basic training a week / Five hours of basic training a week

Fig 1 – OVERALL SCHEMATIC LAYOUT

MILITARY TRAINING CURRICULUM AT NDUM

14.The summarize curriculum and syllabus for the basic training during the academic programs is shown below:

MODULE ONE
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL RESILIENT TRAINING / Endurance
Tactical
Run / Log physical Training / Roping
Course / Confidence and assault Course / Endurance
Swimming / Long Forced March
Abseiling and Repelling / Wall
Climbing / Cross
Country / Unarmed Combat
Sparring / Survival Training / Physical and Fitness test/
assessment
MODULE TWO
WEAPON
TRAINING / Steyr 5.56mm
Assault Rifle M16 / Support Weapon - Machine Gun, Mortar, / Introduction to Artillery and
Armour Weapons / Firing Test,
Battle inoculation assessment
MODULE
THREE
REGIMENTAL,
ADMINISTRATION
AND HUMAN
RESOURCE / Military Law / Related Administrations / Staff Duties
Pay and allowances / Military Affairs / Term and service regulations
MODULE FOUR
DRILLS AND CEREMONIAL / Basic Foot Drill / Sword
Drill / CEREMONIAL DRILLS
Weapon Drill / Colour
Drill / Drill assessment
MODULE
FIVE
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING / Leadership / Customs and
Tradition / Visits to Military Organizations / The cadet rank structure – organize to carry out their duties and leadership training towards their junior cadets
Military History – Study of Leaders / Method of Instruction / Motivation and counseling
  1. The curriculum and syllabus for the single service training is by the respective services. In general, the scope of training at the various military colleges focuses on their respective tactical modules, logistics, respective organization etc.

APPROACH AND METHOD

  1. The evolution and threat profile from the beginning of last century had made the size and shape of future warfare to be difficult to predict. The erratic trend of period after the cold wars and the occurrence of “September 11” had resulted the military training and education activities experience a less clear destinations.

17.The threat profiles of 21st Century can be summarized as follows:

a.Facing irregular challenges where terrorism is the main dish discussed amongst many Armed Forces.

b.Facing disruptive threats from undefined traitors

c.Facing some catastrophic dangers that may use massive weapon system

d.Facing of other sensitive blurry threats in a developing countries

  1. Thus, like the university academic programs, the approach and methods of military training will focus on the aspect of critical thinking skills apart from the normal contemporary approaches. Thinking skills are the best fundamental to face the ambiguity and uncertainty future. Any military training or exercises will include this ingredient in their training menu.
  1. Equally as important is the logic training and effective decision making training which is also relevant to face the 21st century. Good decision training shall be another focus in the training to face the realities as well as the increasing complex environment of this century. The making of right well dispersed decision by leaders is a catalyst to seek out any uncertainties. The military training programs at NDUM take this into account because it can be the basis provision in the analytical skills necessary for functioning in the dynamic future environments.